The Return of Magic
by Lochar
Summary: Crossover. Buffy manages to kill Angelus while he tries to raise Acathla, but it has unexpected results.
1. Default Chapter

The Return of Magic  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their original authors, creators, etc. I don't want them, don't need them, and if I had them, I wouldn't know what to do with them.  
  
Summary: OK, this is my first attempt at writing a fic, regardless of what type. Crossover FF3/FF6. Don't remember the timeline, but it's the episode when Angelus is opening Acathla.  
  
Also note, I haven't seen this episode in quite a while, so artistic license will be used to a degree. I'm making up Willow's soul curse spell to better fit into the story. thoughts ******** The library:  
  
Gee, only another hundred books to go and we might have this part of the library finished. Xander thought. "Hey G-man, so if we're not looking for a prophecy, what exactly are we looking for again?"  
  
"I told you Xander, we're looking for something that we can use to stop Angelus. The soul curse, or any other spell that might stop him. Documents about Acathla or anything like that. And please, don't use that infernal nickname."  
  
"Alright, alright. I'll keep looking." Xander closed the book he was looking at currently. Don't think it's gonna be in this one. Angels, Demons, and Mortals, who ever would want to write about why we don't get along?  
  
Xander grabbed another book from the table and read the title, Magical Creatures, their Symbols, and their Realms. Hmm, I wonder if Angelus is considered a magical creature. "Hey, G-man, do you consider Angelus a magical creature?"  
  
"Well, vampires are created through death, and by drinking blood, so it would be considered a form of..."  
  
"Please, no really long Watcher answer. Yes or no?"  
  
Giles sighed. "Yes Xander, in short."  
  
"Cool." Opening the book Xander groaned. Title in English, book in weird form of Latin. Check. Haven't seen this form yet. That makes seven? eight? forms that we didn't know existed. Grabbing the Latin translation dictionary, Xander set to work skimming for certain words.  
  
Human soul, vampire, demon, Acathla. How would Acathla be translated into Latin anyways? Or is it already in Latin?  
  
******** An hour later:  
  
Hey, what's this? Human soul. But great, what little other Latin I do know isn't on this page. Looks like I'm gonna have to translate it slowly. Working for a good thirty minutes, he had most of the page translated.  
  
Great, it doesn't say what this things name is, just gives it's symbol. Let's see... Human soul, fighting to protect his world, even after his death. It wasn't going to give up, so it animated a, whatever this word is, so he could keep fighting. Sounds like a reverse of a vampire. Instead of the demon going into the body after death, the soul goes to a new body. Says his symbol was used in high level destroy evil spells, but they were extremely difficult to pull off. "Hey guys, would this help any?"  
  
Giles looked up. "What is it?"  
  
"It talks about a soul inhabiting some type of creature. It's not vampire or demon in Latin."  
  
"Let me see, what's the word? Hmm."  
  
"You know what it means G-man?"  
  
"It translates as Esper, but I don't know what that is. And before you ask, I don't know what the symbol means. It was most likely a name for the particular Esper. No one knows it, so that why the spells using it can't be cast anymore. You have to know the whole name to use it. And I told you, don't call me that nickname."  
  
"Alright, then I'll keep looking." I still want to use that symbol though, even if it's just for luck.  
  
******** A week later, outside the mansion:  
  
"Willow said to kick his ass" Xander said.  
  
"Oh... Thanks for the message Xander." Buffy replied. Tightening her grip on her sword, Buffy went after her ex-boyfriend.  
  
I hope I made the right decision. Xander sighed, and followed after Buffy, determined to make sure that she would be ok.  
  
******** At the hospital:  
  
"Spirits and ghosts from beyond, hear my plea. Bring back the soul of the vampire Angelus, formally the man known as Liam. Bring his soul back to this world so that he may once again have his humanity." Willow intoned. The orb in her lap starting flickering, and suddenly had a steady glow to it.  
  
Man, that took a lot out of me. I'm going to have to hold off on the second part of the spell for a moment.  
  
********  
  
In the cave: "Buffy, you don't really think that you could kill me do you? I mean, it's me, Angel. Could you truly hurt me?" Angelus questioned Buffy.  
  
"No, I couldn't hurt Angel. But I finally realize something. You are NOT my Angel. You put Willow into the hospital, and for her, I'm going to kick your ass." She yelled at him.  
  
"Fine, if that's the way you want it," Angelus slashed his hand with his sword, "Acathla, by my blood, I open your portal to Hell. Bring forth the final days for these humans." He then turned to Buffy. "And now, since we've gotten opening the portal out of the way, let's play while we wait for your 'Judgement.'"  
  
He ran to Buffy, swinging his sword in an overhead strike, which Buffy blocked, and then she swung back at him. What in the name of Hell? I would have thought she still had feelings for Angel? She now has the fire I managed to put out of her by using his face, so time to take out all the stops. Angelus quickly shifted to his game face, and attacked with all of his strength.  
  
Xander, meanwhile, hadn't been slacking off. After pulling Giles and Jenny out of the area where they had both been tortured nearly to death, he had come to watch Buffy's fight with Angelus. It's about time she pulled out the stops, that is NOT Angel she's practicing with out there. I hope she can stop him quickly enough so that the portal will be closed before anything big comes through.  
  
Looking down at the stake he had brought along with him, he ran his hand along side the symbol he had carved into it. Hopefully you'll be a good luck charm for me, even if I can't use the spell you're supposed to be in. He still hadn't managed to translate the name, but he still hoped it would be enough. ********  
  
Same time, back in the Hospital: "OK, I think I can do the second part now."  
  
"Hear me, spirit of Liam, hear and listen to me. You body is still here, it had need of you. I brought you here back to this plane, to bring you back to your body. I send you there now, to repent for you sins. To stop repenting, to know happiness, will break this spell, so listen to me well."  
  
The glowing orb in Willow's hands grew brighter, and then seemed to pulse. The a green thread seemed to wrap itself around the orb, and a bight burst of light came and both the light inside the orb and the thread were gone.  
  
What? Jenny never mentioned a green thread in the orb? Oh shit, I hope I didn't screw anything up.  
  
********  
  
In the cave: A white glow surrounded Angelus, then seemed to condense on his eyes. Wha, where am I? He stumbled back, and saw Buffy thrusting her sword at him, seeming on intending to kill him.  
  
Then the memories returned.  
  
"Oh shit, Buffy wait!" Angel yelled.  
  
"I don't think so Angelus, not after everything you've done to me. And Giles and Jenny and Willow and everyone else you have hurt. One of my best friends is in the hospital, waiting for word that you're dead, and I'm not going to disappoint her." Buffy spat at him.  
  
"Willow, oh no." Angel dropped his sword. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Damned right you will be, for all of the next three seconds until I stake you."  
  
"Buffy, listen to me. The opening of Acathla begins with blood, and ends with blood. My blood since I opened it. Let me close it."  
  
"I don't believe you, you're just trying to get me to drop my guard." Buffy then stabbed him in the heart with her sword, and pushed him and the sword down at the ground. The sword went into the ground and pinned Angel down. Buffy and Angel looked down at the sword, with Xander still hiding in the back, looking on as well.  
  
"While the portal is open, not much can cause harm to me. Either I can choose to close it with my blood, or an item made from life, blessed by a protector with his own name can kill me."  
  
Xander heard this and thought about it. A stake is wood, that's life. Blessed by a protector huh? I protected Buffy from Angelus at the hospital, maybe that'll be enough. He didn't bother to think about the third part. "Buffy, catch!" Xander threw the stake he had made to her.  
  
Buffy wheeled around, and saw the stake being tossed to her. "Thanks Xander, we'll have to talk about you following me, but in the mean time," turning back to Angel, "I've got an item made from life here, think one out of three will work?" With that, she yanked the sword out of Angel's heart, and then stabbed him with the stake.  
  
Angel dusted, and all of a sudden, a green energy field came from the dust. Streaking at the stake in Buffy's hand, it hit the stake and seemed to bounce off and struck the portal of Acathla. The portal seemed to shimmer, then Buffy felt herself being drawn into the vortex it had become. There had been to much pulling at dimensional strings with magic this night.  
  
"Oh shit, Xander, run. It's pulling me in!" Buffy screamed at Xander, while grabbing a hold of a stalagmite and trying to keep away from the portal.  
  
Xander ran to Buffy, intent on grabbing her and trying to help pull her away from the portal.  
  
A piece of the portal seemed to rip off, and then disappear. The pull just got stronger even though the portal was now smaller.  
  
Xander got to Buffy, and grabbed her hand, intending to pull her away from the portal. All of a sudden, the stalagmite broke, pulling both Xander and Buffy into the portal.  
  
********  
  
At the hospital: Willow was wiped from doing the curse, and barely had time to wonder what was happening as she felt something traveling back to her following the line she had sent Angel's soul. A black portal appeared, and drug her into it, bed and all. The scream alerted the doctors who rushed in to find no patient or bed.  
  
********  
  
Somewhere, some time:  
  
"Why are we here?" The woman asked the man.  
  
"Because, remember the story. When they left to create their own home, they created their own little universe. I'm amazed the entrance is still standing, even if it is buried under all this rock. After falling from the sky, and that forsaken tower, it's a miracle. Maybe not all of them left there, and a few still survive. You know she'd like to have some around that were like her family, even if they weren't." he replied.  
  
"Good point, but how would we get in there? You know she was the only one able to open the doors last time." The woman asked again.  
  
Just as he was about to reply, the doors opened, and the area was filled with a black shadow. Three people fell out of the shadow, which then disappeared. One was a male holding a female's hand, while she was holding onto a large rock for some reason. The third was also female, who looked completely exhausted and was sitting in what looked to be a weird bed.  
  
"OK, I'll bite, how'd you open the door?" both the man and the woman asked each other. 


	2. 2

The Return of Magic 2/?  
  
See chapter 1 for disclaimers etc.  
  
******** Buffy and Xander looked at each other. "Ya know, this really doesn't look like hell to me. No one is making with the eternal torture and I don't see any fires." Xander noted.  
  
"Ya know, you're right. Where are we? Last thing that I remember was being sucked into the Acathla portal, and that was supposed to lead to hell, right?"  
  
"Uh, hello. Who might you be? And how'd you manage to come through the door?" the man that had watched them almost literally drop from the sky asked.  
  
"Uh, hi. I'm Xander and that's Buffy." Xander pointed to Buffy. "Who are you guys, and where are we, anyways? Not that I don't mind that we didn't end up in a hell dimension."  
  
"I'm Locke, this is Celes. We're at the ruins of Kefka's Tower. How would you guys not know that? He WAS the ruling maniac about two months ago, and he ruled for about a year. You guys have amnesia or something? Or were you trapped behind the door this whole time? Wait a second, hell dimension? I know it's bad here, but life is returning, not like it is hell around here."  
  
"I've got one thing to add too, either of you two know her?" Celes pointed at Willow. "She doesn't seem to be in the best of shape."  
  
Willow had actually passed out, and was now just lying on the gurney, pale.  
  
Xander and Buffy turned around, and both shouted at the same time, "Willow!" and ran to her. Noticing that she was ok for the moment, Buffy turned around. "Yeah, this is our friend Willow. I don't know how she got here, but we were pulled into a portal. Is there anywhere we can take her to make her a little more comfortable, it doesn't look it is any good around here."  
  
Locke nodded. "Yeah, we can take her to Albrooke. It's to the south of here, and we've been rebuilding it."  
  
******** In Albrooke:  
  
Xander whistled. "Damn, what happened here? It looks like a war zone!"  
  
Locke looked at Xander, "Kefka happened. I'll tell you about it later, but let's get you friend into a decent bed first."  
  
"Right, where to then? Willow and her bed are getting kinda heavy."  
  
"Xander, Willow's not heavy." Buffy looked at him.  
  
"Speak for yourself, you've got Slayer strength."  
  
"Anyways, we're here. Bring your friend inside. We'll make her comfortable. Then we can tell you what happened." Celes told them.  
  
Xander and Buffy lifted the gurney back up again, and brought her into what looked to be like an Inn.  
  
********  
  
"So, anyways. Now that Willow is safe and sleeping the sleep of the really tired, can you tell us what's up with this place? Oh, hi I'm Xander. Nice to meet ya. And you guys are?" Xander looked over at the other people in the building.  
  
"I'm Sabin, nice to meet you as well."  
  
"My name's Setzer."  
  
Locke looked over at a girl sitting at a table, playing with a green shard of glass. "She's Terra. She doesn't like to talk to us anymore. She's actually the reason we were at the tower today. Terra, do you mind if we tell them about you?"  
  
Terra slowly turned her head and looked at Locke. She shrugged, and turned back to look at the piece of glass in her hand again.  
  
"Alright, I'm gonna take that as a yes. Anyways, Terra is only half human. Her father wasn't human. That piece of Magicite there is all that she has left of him. Her father was an Esper."  
  
"ESPER!" Xander shouted. "The symbol of one of those guys is what I had carved into that stake I threw you Buffy. So in this world, Espers exist?"  
  
Locke shook his head sadly. "No, sorry. Espers no longer exist here. But that's part of the story I'm going to tell you."  
  
So Locke told Buffy and Xander their story. What he knew of Terra's birth, her capture by the Empire. The slave crown used to control her, and its removal in Narshe. The Returners, seeing Tritoch, and what it had done to Terra. Their meeting with Ramuh in Zozo, and the raid on the Empire. The Floating Continent and Kefka's insanity ending with the rearrangement of the world's surface. The gathering of their friends and how they stopped Kefka from destroying more cities with his "Light of Judgement." How after the battle Terra had lead them to safety in her other form, and watching her father's Magicite crystal shatter. Terra sacrificing her Esper half to lead them out with what remained of her energy. The end of magic in their world.  
  
It lasted well into the night.  
  
"So that's the story. After Kefka's tower fell, we were all ecstatic. But a few days later, Terra started to withdraw into herself. Celes thinks that it's the fact that she has no magic anymore, and it's creating a hole in her heart because she's missing a part of her." Locke stated.  
  
Celes nodded. "Yeah, I kinda feel like that too since I was infused with magic at a young age, but I wasn't born to it. I think it hit her really hard. Anyways, you guys get to bed; we can work things out in the morning. Maybe your friend will wake up too."  
  
Xander and Buffy agreed, and went upstairs to another guest room near Willow's.  
  
Terra looked up at the ceiling, then stood up and shuffled to her bed.  
  
******** The next morning:  
  
"Locke"  
  
Locke spun around, stunned. "Terra? Did you say something?"  
  
"W.w.who's here?" Terra seemed to struggle with the words.  
  
"Two new people, Xander and Buffy. They've got a hurt friend here, I think her name is Willow."  
  
Terra mumbled.  
  
"What did you say?" Locke asked, not trying to show his excitement that Terra was talking more now than she had in the past couple of months.  
  
"C.c.c.can I see h.h.h.her?" Terra stuttered out quickly, as if it hurt to talk.  
  
"Sure, come on." Locke lead her to the room where Willow was still asleep.  
  
"She's hurt? But how, she should be able to heal herself." Terra whispered. "And it's inside her too. Maybe she needs help to start?"  
  
"Terra? What are you talking about?"  
  
Terra starting mumbling the words for a Cure spell.  
  
"Terra, you know magic..." Locke's words were cut off as a magic aura surrounded Terra and Willow shot up into a sitting position, gasping.  
  
Terra fainted.  
  
"HOLY SHIT, TERRA CAST A SPELL!" Locke bellowed.  
  
********  
  
Post fic comment: So, how was it? Feedback please, I've got an idea of where to go with this, but I'd like to know what you guys think. 


	3. 3

The Return of Magic 3/?  
  
Disclaimers can and notes can be found in chapter 1  
  
'Ships: Don't know, but there might be one here eventually.  
  
******  
  
"HOLY SHIT, TERRA CAST A SPELL!" Locke bellowed.  
  
Everyone in the house looked up, shocked.  
  
Celes paled. "What!? How is that possible?" She rushed up the stairs to find Locke laying her down in the bed next to Willow's, who was now awake, and looking around groggily. "What happened?" she demanded. "Buffy, Xander. Your friend is awake too!"  
  
Xander and Buffy rushed into the room. "Willow! Are you ok?" Xander noticed Terra in the other bed. "What happened to Terra?"  
  
Locke looked at the three of them, and noticed the others trying to crowd into the room as well. "Terra asked me about Willow, and then asked to come up here. She looked at you," he motioned to Willow, "and starting mumbling about how it wasn't right or something about you being still asleep. She started mumbling the words for a Cure spell, and before I could remind her it wouldn't work, it DID! She then just fainted dead away."  
  
Buffy sighed, "So we trade one unconscious person for another?"  
  
"I wonder how she was able to cast that spell though." Celes wondered. She peered at Willow. "Hmm, that is strange. You do seem to have a type of energy coming off of you, I think. It's really weak, but it is there."  
  
Locke turned to Willow and looked at her. "I don't sense anything from her."  
  
Willow looked at the both strangely. "Uh, I don't really wanna just be looked at like a piece of meat or something like that and have you poke and prod at me to find out what energy you think is coming off of me and why only she" Willow pointed to Celes, "can sense it and I really don't want to be a guinea pig for any tests to find out why she can and you can't."  
  
Now Sabin was looking at Willow oddly. "Did you even take a breath during that one?"  
  
Xander chuckled. "Willowbabble. Gotta love it. Anyways, how are you doing Willow?"  
  
Willow smiled at Xander. "I'm doing ok now, but where are we? Last thing I remember is a portal opening up at the hospital and sucking me in."  
  
"That's the thing. The portal sucked us in as well, and while this world isn't anywhere close to heaven, it isn't hell either." Xander told her.  
  
Willow looked at Xander. "I don't know why. I did the soul curse the way I was supposed to, but it had a green thread in it. Then a few minutes later, portal comes and I'm here."  
  
"Soul curse? XANDER!"  
  
Xander flinched. "Uh, Buffy, listen to me. You wouldn't have fought all out if you thought that Willow was going to restore his soul. Then Acathla would have been brought to life normally and it would have sucked hell onto our earth. Just because we're here doesn't mean it would have sucked here into our world."  
  
Buffy just looked at him, with dead eyes. "He told me that he had been given his soul back. I didn't believe him, thinking it was another trick. All the time, you knew he actually did. You were jealous, weren't you? Admit it. You told me Willow said 'kick his ass' instead of telling me about the curse because you wanted Angel gone. Then you would have had a chance with me." Buffy started stomping up to him. "I have half a mind to kill you right now."  
  
Sabin went up behind her and grabbed her. "Now hold on a second, he had a good reason from what I can tell. He didn't want Hell on your earth. You really think he'd be that petty?"  
  
Buffy just elbowed him in the gut, sending him back a step. "Yes, he's wanted me for years now. He did it just to get a chance with me. Saving the world was just icing on the cake to him." Buffy turned back to Xander, and threw a punch at him.  
  
Xander's mind short circuited at seeing Buffy's fist coming at his face. His eyes then glazed over, and he made a half step back and to the side, bringing his hand up and spinning Buffy around.  
  
Locke stared at Xander. "Oh shit. He's in a rage."  
  
Buffy regained her footing and laughed. "Him? Rage? Never gonna happen. He just got lucky blocking that punch. He's really level headed, although it's not gonna help him now." Buffy threw another kick at him, which Xander managed to roll with and didn't seem to be hurt.  
  
Setzer shook his head. "No not a berserker rage, but that might be better than this. A friend of ours named Gau can do this too. It's a form of self possession, based on creatures he used to live with."  
  
Xander took that moment to attack back at Buffy, and threw her out of the room and into the wall in the hall.  
  
Willow looked scared. "Self possession? Oh shit, it's either the Hyena, or the Soldier, and looking at his moves, it's the Soldier. How do we get him to snap out of it?" She looked around at the other people, almost begging them for an answer.  
  
Sabin sighed. "We don't. Until either Buffy gives up, kills him, or she dies he's not gonna switch out of this if it's like Gau."  
  
"I just have to kill him huh? Not a problem. I was gonna do that anyways. Stupid bastard, trying to interfere in my life." Buffy stormed back into the room, and swung again at Xander.  
  
"NO. STOP" Willow shouted at them, and then whispered something under her breath.  
  
Buffy kicked out at Xander again, while he made to do a knife hand to her throat. Both hit a barrier between the two of them.  
  
"Buffy, give up the fight. Let him return to normal, and then we'll talk it out."  
  
"Never. He can stay like that for all I care." Buffy smirked at Xander, who was now pacing around the invisible cage.  
  
Xander looked at Buffy, then at Willow and grinned. "I thought you'd make a good mate, but after this? I'm gonna rip you to shreds bitch, and the boy's agreeing with me right now."  
  
"Uh, guys. Tell me something. Are there any Hyenas in your world?" Willow looked around nervously.  
  
"Hyenas? They died out a while ago. There are jackals though, why?" Celes asked.  
  
"Xander is too calm about this. I think he's gonna get some help. He's using his connection as pack leader to summon a pack of the closest animals that are like him here." Willow looked at Xander, who was now alternating between staring at Buffy and concentrating on something else and losing focus.  
  
"So? Not like I can't take a bunch of crappy little animals. I'm the Slayer, I'll walk right through them." Buffy sneered at Xander. "No matter what you're bringing, you are going to die today asshole. For killing my Angel."  
  
"Uh, Buffy? Maybe you should ask us about that first." Sabin looked at her. "If the punch you hit me with is as strong as you can hit, they'll tear you to shreds. They're really vicious. A group of them almost took out me."  
  
"Nope, not my full strength when I hit you." Buffy looked at Sabin and sniffed. "Had I done that, you would be dead now."  
  
Turning to Willow, Sabin asked her, "Can you let me into her box? I think she needs to learn a few things." Willow shook her head. "Trust me, she caught me by surprise the last time."  
  
Willow sighed and nodded. "Buffy, don't kill him please."  
  
"As if. The only one I'm killing now is Xander."  
  
Willow concentrated, and then looked at Sabin. "Alright, you can go in, but only you. And once you're in, you can't come out until I drop the field completely, alright?"  
  
Sabin nodded and walked past the invisible barrier that held Buffy back. "So, you think you're strong huh?" Sabin drew back his hand, made a fist, and struck at Buffy and hit her in the stomach.  
  
The force of the hit picked her up and she flew back against barrier and grunted. Buffy staggered on her feet, but didn't fall down. "Damn, you hit like Luke on steroids. Oh well, I dusted him and his Master, I can beat you. Then I will take care of Xander."  
  
Cackling laughter was heard from the other part of the room. Everyone turned to look at the source, and saw Xander standing there. "Thank you guys, you've given me the time I needed to summon the pack. Give them a few minutes. And now, I hand control back over to the Soldier. Have fun." The glow faded from Xander's eyes, only to be replaced by a hardening of them. "Ah, good to be back. Now to business. Willow, you are walking a fine line between friend and foe here. Locking me in here came close to getting you dropped into the foe category, but you did it thinking you were protecting me." He looked at Sabin. "You tried to help, you I label friend." His eyes moved over to Buffy, who had recovered from Sabin's attack. "You are so far up shit creek that a paddle wouldn't save you. Attacking me because I tried to save the world and you thought it was over some pitiful feelings for you? As FUCKING IF. I've got my priorities straight bitch, something you don't seem to. Consider yourself dead. The Hyena should have never chosen such a flawed woman such as you as a potential mate." Xander looked again at Willow. "Sorry, but this is going to hurt you." Xander made a fist and punched the barrier separating him from Buffy.  
  
Willow shuddered with the hit. "Buffy, you have to get out of here now. For some reason, he's a HELL of a lot stronger than you, he might break the barrier."  
  
Buffy started at that. "What? Shit."  
  
Just then, they heard a sort of barking laughter from the outside.  
  
"Ah, the pack is finally here. Alright Slayer, take your pick. Me or the group outside. Myself, I think you have a better chance with them. That is, if you can get out."  
  
Willow looked at Xander stunned. "Xander, I'm going to drop the barrier on Buffy. She needs to get away."  
  
Xander nodded. "I know. I'm not labeling you foe for that. She's the only one I want now." Xander sat down in the middle of his area.  
  
Willow took a deep breath, and dropped Buffy's part of the barrier while using the energy to strengthen the one holding Xander. She then nodded at Buffy.  
  
Buffy grinned, and ran at Xander, striking at his barrier as hard as she could. Neither Willow or the barrier shuddered. Buffy stared at Xander then.  
  
"I figured you would try that, just to show me that you could have broken out. Nice try bitch, but I knew you couldn't. The pack has orders to let you out if you get past them within the next five minutes and you don't harm any of them. I'd take it." Xander shook his head. "Times a ticking, Slayer."  
  
Locke looked at the both of them. "Xander," he started carefully, "I'm gonna go with Buffy. She doesn't know her way around here, so she'll need a guide for a while at least. I'm not taking either of your sides in this though."  
  
Xander looked at him. "Agreed. You are granted leave to go through the pack without harm at anytime, so long as you don't get between me and Buffy."  
  
Locke grabbed Buffy's arm and drug her out the room, and down the stairs through the front door. After the front door slammed shut and nothing was heard from anything outside, Willow gave Xander a weak grin.  
  
"You're not going to attempt to break out are you?"  
  
"Nah, but you might want to keep on your toes for a bit. I'm having the pack leave. As soon as Buffy is out of sight of both me and the pack, you'll have your Xander back."  
  
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. A few minutes later, Xander sagged where he sat and then looked up.  
  
"Uh guys, what's up? Why are you all staring at me? Willow, are you ok? Last thing I remember is you saying something about the... oh shit. You said something about the soul curse and Buffy was in here. I was hoping to break it to her a little more gently." He stood and tried to walk to Willow, but bounced off the still intact barrier.  
  
Willow looked at him. "Are you sure you're you Xander? I'm not dropping the barrier until I know."  
  
Xander looked puzzled. "Why would I not be me, Wills? I'm fine, if a little tired. But you know me. I'm exhausted at the thought of work." He grinned at her.  
  
Willow just shook her head at him and smiled wanly. "OK, it's you." She waved her hand at Xander. "Alright, it's down. You can move around again."  
  
"OK, I've got a couple of questions. First of all, what the hell happened to me?"  
  
"Well, youkindagotintoafightwithBuffyandyouregressedbacktothehyenabutyouwerecoheren tandswitchedbackandforthtothesoldierguytooandnearlybrokemybarriertogetatBuff ytotrytokillherfortryingtokillyou." Willow took a deep breath.  
  
Xander looked at her, and puzzled through it. "HOLY SHIT?!?!"  
  
"Yeah, they said you went into a Rage and self-possessed yourself but you're able to break out of it when a fight is over."  
  
"Okay... I'm just gonna repress that one and move on. I don't even want to think about that."  
  
"But Xander, Hyena you summoned a pack of real hyenas and told Buffy that if she didn't leave, it was going to be a choice of getting killed by you or the hyenas or whatever they were."  
  
"Nuh uh Wills, I told you. I'm repressing this. I'll deal later, once I can break down. I want an answer to my second question first. They told me magic was dead in this world. Yet you cast a spell to separate me and Buffy, quite forcibly. How?"  
  
Celes nodded in agreement. "That's the most powerful Safe spell I've ever seen. How did you do it? Terra was barely able to cast Cure on you, and it knocked her into a coma! How do you get away with casting like that after just waking up and nothing happens to you?" Celes demanded of Willow. The rest of the group nodded.  
  
Willow just looked at her strangely. "Knocked her into a coma just casting a healing spell on me?" Willow looked to Terra lying in the other bed. "She's brimming with magical power. She should be able to resurrect someone with that much power, and not even break a sweat."  
  
Celes shook her head. "Not possible. Magic was destroyed in this world. I can understand you being able to do it, but not Terra. Our magic power source was destroyed."  
  
Now it was Willows turn to stare at Celes. "Destroyed? How do you destroy a source of magic? You've even got some magic in you. Not as much as this Terra here, but you do."  
  
Locke looked at Celes and then back to Willow. "Magic was destroyed here when a really insane guy got a hold of the three goddess statues, and drained them of their magic. We had to destroy the statues to get to him, and then we killed him. There wasn't anywhere for that power to go, so it blew up all magic."  
  
Willow just shook her head. "Magic like that can't be destroyed. Celes, can you do me a favor? Cast the easiest spell you know, one that you know quite well." Willow watched Celes.  
  
She nodded her head. Easy spell I know huh? How about first spell I ever learned. Ice Mumbling the words under her breath, Celes attempted to cast the spell. Nothing happened. "See, it's gone. Terra's spell must have been a fluke."  
  
"No, try again. And this time try. You didn't think it was going to work, but you need to at least try hard this time. Concentrate on it."  
  
Celes grimaced, and then spoke the words again, this time with a measure of force behind them. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees, and Celes feel to the ground, panting from exertion.  
  
"Interesting. You can't really use that type of magic anymore I don't think. You took a huge well of energy, and converted it to a much smaller form that barely had the power to make that spell. My magic isn't like that, so maybe that's why I can do spells easier than you can. My magic uses a form that is closer to natural. Watch."  
  
Willow focused on Terra, and spoke a single word. "AWAKE." Terra moaned and then sat up.  
  
Everyone looked first at Terra, then to Willow and back to Terra again. "Terra, you're awake!" Celes looked about ready to cry.  
  
Terra looked at Celes, then over to Willow. Seeing her awake, she jumped out of bed and moved to her and knelt down at the foot of the bed. "Sister. I am glad to see that you are awake now. I wondered why you were still asleep, but I see it did you good."  
  
Willows eyes went slightly black. "Hush little one. You know that is not where you belong. You know that you belong next to me. I am glad to see that he did not do as much harm to you as I feared he had."  
  
Xander, Celes, and Setzer just stared at them, wondering what they were talking about.  
  
Terra then spoke. "Neither of our forms are strong enough yet, we have to return."  
  
Willow nodded. "Yes, and remember. It is their choice if they want to take up the mantle. It is good to see you again though." Willow and Terra hugged, and then sagged together. When they looked back up, Willow's eyes had returned to her normal color.  
  
****** Post fic comments: Sorry, I need some time to figure out what to do with Xander. That's why he said that. Next chapter I promise that I'll address the question of him.  
  
Feedback, it's the coin of the realm. Make me rich people. 


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